Car



Feb. 15,1938. A. E. SMITH ET AL j 2,108,416

GAR A V Filed April 1o, 1935 '5 sheets-sheet 2U I l Ll l v AT1-ORNE 5 Fe@n l5, 1938.` n lA. E. SMITH ET Al. 2,108,416

' GAR K Filed April io', 1933 s sheets-sheet 3 v INVENTOR mg/ZKM ATTORNEY -v Paten-ted Feb. 15, 193s uNn'Eo "STATES can Abram E. Smith and William H. Runkel, yfihicago, Ill.. assignors to Union Tank Car Company, Chicagoplll., a corporation or New Jer- Sey This invention relates' to a novel and improved form of car,more particularly one for handling `iinely divided products, such-as fullersV earth. Fullers earth, in'particular, presents certain dif- I and partly in plan, of the structure appearing inV trating successive steps in the formation of a Fig. 1;v

.. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. i is a cross-section on an enlarged scale showing one formoi knii'e which maybe employed: f s

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a form of vibrator which may be used in the practice 'of the invention;

(Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are fragmentary views showing part oi' the bottom sheet oi a car and illushopper therein; i

Flg, 9 isy an elevation taken at right angles to Fig. 8. i

The car shown herein is a tank car having a generally cylindrical shaped body I and provided with the usual frame andsupporting wheels, the details of which will not be discussed. According to our invention, this car is divided into a. plurality of compartments, here shown as three in number, the compartments being formed by transversely extending partitions 2 extending vertically from the bottom tothe top oi' the car. The end compartments have their end walls formedvof slope sheets 3.

At the bottom of each compartment is disposed a hopper I having downwardly inclined walls arranged approximately at the same angle to the horizontal as the slope sheets 3. Preferably, the

bottom of thecar is lformed of a single sheetl 5 having holes vtherein surrounded by downwardly extending walls l forming the upper parts of the respective hoppers. "These downwardly extending walls are preferably integral with the bottom.

and are of the same thickness as the bottom` sheet, this sheetbeing preferably formed with a cylindrical surface corresponding to the cylindrical form of the body oi' the car. The openings in the bottom sheet may be curved' as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or may have straight sides as shown in Figs. 6,7, 8, and 9. 1n Figs. l, 2, and 3, they are shown as curved in form, either round or elliptical, and the upper edges 'I of the walls 6v in the end compartments are approximately tangent to the lower edge 8 of the slope sheets in those compartments. In the center compartment-and at the ends of the end compartments opposite the slope sheets, aprons 9 are provided, likewise approximately tangent to the upper edge 'I of the wall 6 and inclined upwardly at approximately the same slope as the wall Since the bottom sheet and the side walls of the car body are all arcuate in form, being part of the cylindrically shaped body ofthe car, it will be seen that only upwardly extending surfaces are'provided, both in the hopper and above it.

For a purpose which will appear later, the lower part i0 of the hopper'is preferably formed of relatively thin sheet metal riveted to the downwardly extending walls. as at II, or otherwise secured' thereto and forming substantial contine nations of these walls. A suitable closure I2 is provided for the bottom of each hopper extending over the outlet I3. The details of this closure may be varied considerably, and since they are not essential to an understanding of this invention, they will not be further discussed.

Extending through the wall oi' each hopper, and

spaced around theA periphery thereof, are air jets issuing therefrom. 'I'hey may be placed on the same horizontal plane or on different planes, as shown in Fig. 3, but preferably they all point in the same rotative direction. For example, if the material is to be given a swirling motion in a clockwise direction, all jets discharge in that di'-A rection.

Also' mounted on the bottom part I Ii of each hopper is a pair of wedge-shaped holders lI5 with- In which i'lts a correspondingly shaped pad on a bracket I8 supporting-a vibrator I1 of conventional or other suitable form. Vibrators of this general type are well known in the art, and no detailed description thereof will be given. Ob-

vlously also, the brackets may, if preferred, be

fastened in place by suitable bolts. Similar holders I5 may be placed on the under side of the slope sheets 3, as indicated in 11g. 1.

Extending across the top of each hoppery is a shaft I8 preferably disposed in bushings I9 on opposite sides of the car and having one or both ends 20" thereof shaped to receive a wrench handle and disposed outside of the car. )within the car, the shaft carries an agitator, here shown as comprising a sleeve 2| fastened Von the shaft and having a plurality of knife blades 22 and 23 extending upwardly into the bodyof the car or downwardly into the hopper. These blades may be connected by cross bars 24 which act as braces to hold the blades together and also for another purpose which will be explained directly. Air may be applied to the jets |4 from suitable piping 25'which may be connected to any convenient source of compressed air and which may also furnish air for operation of the vibrator i1, this air being supplied to a suitable inlet 26 on the vibrator. Preferably. eac'hcompartment is provided with one or more openings in the top of the car indicated at 21 kand provided with suitable removable closures.

'Ihe operation of the invention will now be briefly described. Fullers earth, in particular, is a material which, when handled in bulk, packs very closely and has great cohesion. For example, it has been found that an ordinary use of an air jet in a xed path will result merely in cutting a channel through the material without substantially disturbing it, as the material has an angle of repose of approximately 90. In other words, the face of the material jwill remain vertical, and unusual devices must be employed for breaking it up and removing it.

The car illustrated and described herein has Ybeen found to successfully solve the problem. It

will be seen that the material Awill contact only with upwardly extending metallic surfaces, to which it will adhere to a minimum extent. Therefore, when the material in the middle of a compartment or at any point remote from the walls thereof begins to move downwardly, the power of cohesion within the mass will normally be greater than the power of adhesion to the metallic surfaces. formed of other material than metal, to which the power of adhesion of the material is rela' tively small.

Now assuming that a car of fullers earth is to be unloaded, the closure I2 over the discharge outlet of one hopper and its corresponding compartment is` removed and suitable conveying apparatu's may be attached thereto in a manner well known in the art. Next, a vibrator is fastened in place on one wall of the hopper and put in operation. 'I'his appears to loosen the material immediately adJacent the discharge outlet and to some extent throughout the hopper. Then the agitator is operated by means of a wrench applied to the end 20 of the shaft I3 or by other suitable means. The blades 22 of the agitator preferably have knife edges 22', as shown in Fig. 4, and may be wedge-shaped, as indicated, or of any other suitable form, to help in agitating the material,

both in the hopper land in the body of the car. The cross bars 24 also aid in breaking down the material, and, in fact, these bars, with the blades, form a sort of grill, as plainly shown in Fig. 3. Next, airis supplied to the line leading4 to the jets |4, which will cause the material to form a vortex because of the swirling action set up by the air. The material, having been ilrst loosened We also contemplate surfacesA somewhat by the vibrator, will respondto the action of the air and will probably become more or less aerated. Vibrators may also be used on the slope Asheets 3, these sheets in the form shown bounding the space at the end of the car, and a wall of this space being provided with a manhole 28 to give access to this space.

We have described above the various steps which are taken and in the order which at present seems to give the best results, although it is to be understood that this order may be varied as desired and as found most expedient. If found necessary, an air line may be put through one of the openings 21 in the upper part of a compartment, and any residue o f material may be blown out through the hopper by this means.

Referring now to Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9, we have shown therein a part of a hopper of different form than that appearing in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, andhave illustrated one way in which such a hopper may be formed.

In Fig. 6, we have shown a portion of the bottom sheet 5 disposed between two adjacent partitions before the hopper is formed therein. While the partitions have been shown in Figs. 6, '7, and 8, it will of course be understood that the hopper may be formed either before or after the partitions are put in place, and even before the Sheet is put in the car, if found desirable.

The sheet is first cut to form slits therein, here shown as a slit 29 extending transversely of the length of the sheet and meeting at its opposite ends slits 30 extending generally transverse of the sheet'but preferably curved, as indicated, so that their central portions are nearer each other than their ends. This construction results in the formation of two leaves 3| on opposite sides of the slit 23 and also of leaves 32 within the arcs of the curved slits 30.

The next step is to bend the leaves 3| and 32 downwardly, as indicated inFig. 7, this bending down forming, in this instance, straight top edges 33 and 34 for the hopper. The leaves 3| are bent again at 36, preferably along a. curved surface so as to form a rounded corner, so that the corners 35 thereof form part of the Walls of the hopper extending transversely of the leaves 3|.

'I'he process thus far described results in a retention of the thickness of the sheet, as no substantial stretching or drawing thereof has taken piace. The next step is to add to the structure `thus partly formed, by placing inserts 31 in place,

these inserts being plates of such shape that they will ilt into the spaces between the bent-down leaves 3| and 32, and of the same thickness as those leaves. A detailed description of this shape is not deemed necessary. These inserts may now be welded along the edges which contact with' the bent-down leaves 3| and 32, as indicated at 38, for example. After welding, any excess metal on the interior of the hopper may be smoothed off so vas to prevent formation kof rough surfaces and Air jets are likewise in' various shapes of hoppers, as, for example, the 7| sake'of convenience, one continuous bottonr sheet is shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3, nevertheless it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the same opening therein surrounded by downwardly exmethod can be practiced with smaller sheets, for example with sheets of such a size as to form individual hoppers which may then be riveted -in place on a bottom sheet already on the. car.

While we have shown-the invention as embodied in a specific form, it is to be understood that various changes in details may' be made without departing from the scope of theinvention, and we therefore do not intend to limit ourselves except by the appended claims. I

1. A car havinga bottom comprising a sheet of relatively thick metal, said sheet 'having an tending walls integral with said sheet. a hopper having side walls formed in part bysaid downwardly extending walls of the opening and in part by downward continuations thereof formed of relatively thin sheet metalsecured to the re1- atlvely thick metal of the bottom sheet, and a closure for said hopper removable to permit withdrawal of the contents of the car and hopper.

2. A car having abottom'comprising a sheet of relatively thick metal. said sheet having an opening therein surrounded by downwardly extending walls integral with said sheet, a hopper having side walls formed in part by said down- -wardly extending walls of the opening and in part by downward continuations thereoflformed of relatively thin sheet metal secured to the relatively-thick metal of the bottom sheet, a closure for said hopper vremovable to permit withdrawal of the contents of the car and hopper. and means;

for detachably securing a vibrator to said'hopper' in position to operate on the thin-walled portion thereof.

3. A car having a bottom comprising a sheet of relatively thick metal, said sheet having an Vopening therein surrounded by 'downwardly extending walls integral with said sheet, and a hopperhaving side walls formed at least in part -by said downwardly extending walls of the opening, saidwalls forming al substantially continuous horizontally curved interior surface free of corners.

.4. A car having a `bottom comprisinga sheet .y of relatively thick metal, said sheet having an `ist opening therein surrounded by downwardly extending walls integral with said sheet, a hopper havingside walls formed at least in part by said vdownwardly extending walls of the opening, said sheet cut along `a central lineextending lengthwise thereof'and along lines yat the end of said central cut andtransversely thereof. said trans- 'verse cuts having their central portions nearer each other than their ends and the longitudinal and transverse portions defined by said cuts bent downwardlygto form hopper walls.

6. A car having an arcuate shaped bottom sheet cut along a central line extendinglengthwise thereof and along lines. at the end of said central cut and transversely thereof, said transverse cuts having their central portions nearer and .said

"3 each other than theirends andl the longitudinal and transverse portions defined by said cuts bent downwardly to' form hopper walls of the same thickness as that of the sheet. and inserts disj posed between the bent-down portions of the wise continuously curved horizontally and hav lng a top edgeoi' the same curvature as the edge of said opening. said top edge of the hopper wall edge of the opening being integrally united.

8. Atank car having a .cylindrlcally shaped body with the axis of the cylinder extending horizontauy, thereby providing a bottom' sheet of 'arcuate form, said bottom sheet having an opening therein with a continuous curved edge, a hopper having a downwardly extending wall likewise` continuously curved horizontally and'having a top edge of the same' curvature es the edge of said opening, said top edge of the hopper wall and said edge of the opening being integrally united, and.` an inclined apron *extending upwardly fromsaid hopper and disposed transversely of the car and forming a partial continuation of said hopper wall.

9.a tank car having a cylindrically-shaped body with the axis of the cylinder 'extending horizontally, therebyI providing a bottom sheet of arcuate form, said bottom sheet having therein an opening with an edge which is continuously curved horizontally, a hopper having an outlet at its bottom and having a downwardly extending wall which is likewise continuously curved horizontally and whose top edge has the same curvature as the edge of said opening. said top edge of the hopper wall and said edge of the opening beingintegrally. united, an agitator comprising a shaft extending horizontally across said hopper substantially diametrically thereof and journaled in the longitudinal sides of the car adjacent the top of the hopper, blades on said shaft extending downwardly a substantial distance into said vhopper and upwardly a substantial distance into said body, said shaft having an ,end disposed outside the car and of non-cylinra detachable handle to of the hopper wall and said edge of the opening being integrally united, an inclined apron extending upwardly from said ,hopper and disposed transversely `of the car and forming a partial continuation 'of the hopper wall. an agitator comprising a shaft extending horizontally across said'` hopper substantially diametrically thereof and journaled in the longitudinal sides of theI car adjacent the top of the hopper, blades on said shaft extending downwardly a substantial distance into said-hopper and upwardly asubstantial distance into said body, said shaft having an .end disposed outside the car and of non-cylindrical shape to receive a the shaft.

11. A tank car having a cylindrically-shaped body with the axis of the cylinder extending horizontally, thereby providing a bottom sheet of arcuate form, said bottom sheet having therein an opening with an edge which is continuously curved horizontally, a hopper having an outlet at its bottom and having a downwardly extending wall which is likewise continuously curved horizontally and whose top edge has the same curvature as the edge of said opening, said top edge of the hopper wall and said edge of the opening being integrally united,` an agitator comprising a shaft extending horizontally across said hopper substantially diametrically thereof and journaled in the longitudinal sides of the car adjacent the top of the hopper, blades on said shaft extending downwardly a substantial disdetachable handle to rock tance into said hopper and upwardly a substantial distance into said body, said shaft extending outside the car, and means outside the car for Operating Said Shaft.

12. A car having an arcuate shaped bottom sheet with an opening therein, the material of gitudinally extending central cut and transverse-A l ly extending cuts at the lopposite ends thereof, said transversely extending cuts being convex towards each other, thus providing four leaves, which 'leaves are bent downwardly to form the upper portions of hopper walls, and plates welded to said upper portions and extending downwardly therefrom to completev the hopper walls. 20

ABRAM E. S15/HTH. AVVIIJIZIIAM H. RUNKEL. 

